Adult Animation Revolution: ‘Dofus Book 1 — Julith’ On YouTube
by Tito W. James
Dofus Book 1: Julith is a French animated film set within the world of Wakfu, a popular online game turned animated series. While it’s easy to read the title as “doofus,” in this case a Dofus is a dragon’s egg with spiritual properties. When a young boy named Joris discovers that he has a mysterious connection to the dragon eggs of light and darkness, he must confront the immensely powerful sorceress known as Julith the Butcher.
Witches, dragons, and the battles between good and evil are pretty standard for fantasy stories. But, what sets this film apart are its stellar characters. Aiding Joris on his journey are a kung-fu cat, an adorable puppy girl, and France’s equivalent to Johnny Bravo.
While the heroes are a blast, the standout character is the villainess Julith. She has all the stage presence of Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty with all of the fighting skills of Neo from The Matrix. There were several fight scenes that will leave viewers’ jaws on the floor. Juilth is also a well-developed character with an empathetic motivation for her destructiveness. The film is as much her story as the heroes’.
Dofus Book 1: Julith hits the French animation sweet spot by delivering gorgeous visuals, kick-ass action, hilarious sexual subtext, and true emotional gravitas. For those who are constantly on the lookout for animation that breaks the mould, you can’t miss this film!
